CAMBRIDGE, Mass.– Enveric Biosciences (NASDAQ: ENVB) has announced encouraging preclinical data for its lead drug candidate, EB-003, showing a positive therapeutic effect in a well-established rodent model of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
In the study, mice exposed to trauma and conditioned to associate a specific environment with that trauma showed significantly reduced freezing behavior just one hour after receiving a single oral dose of EB-003. The reduction in freezing behavior (p < 0.05) indicates a rapid extinction of contextual fear—a key marker of therapeutic response in PTSD models. The results were comparable to those observed with MDMA, a known psychedelic agent used as a positive control in the study, though MDMA is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The study, conducted by a third-party lab, used a Pavlovian-based fear conditioning model, in which rodents develop trauma-linked fear responses after repeated exposure to mild electric shocks in a controlled setting. Upon re-exposure to the environment, untreated animals typically freeze—an involuntary response that models PTSD symptoms in humans. EB-003’s ability to reduce this behavior suggests potential for treating PTSD with faster onset than current therapies.
“Only a few medications have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of PTSD, including the serotonin reuptake inhibitors paroxetine and sertraline,” said Joseph Tucker, Ph.D., CEO and Director of Enveric. “Only 20% to 30% of PTSD patients experience full remission with these drugs, and it takes two to three weeks of SSRI administration before clinical and neuronal benefits become apparent. Clearly, there is enormous unmet need in PTSD, which has yet to be addressed with meaningful innovation.”
Tucker added that EB-003’s rapid effects may stem from its ability to enhance hippocampal neuroplasticity, a brain function often impaired in PTSD patients. As a next-generation neuroplastogen designed to avoid hallucinations while promoting brain rewiring, EB-003 could offer a safer and more effective alternative to existing therapies.
Enveric believes EB-003 represents a major opportunity to transform treatment for PTSD, a chronic and often debilitating condition that affects millions and remains underserved by current drug options.
